


Silver Pomegranate

by tainted_wolf



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Greek AU, I don't know, More tags later, Multi, Slow Burn, just warning you, probably, there will be angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-06-07 13:18:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6806449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tainted_wolf/pseuds/tainted_wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Hades/Persephone AU no one asked for, but you're getting anyway.  Flint is the lonely ruler of the Underworld, and Silver was at the wrong place and the wrong time.  He later finds out that it was the right place at the right time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Silver = Persephone (human for this story)  
> Flint = Hades (god of underworld)  
> Max = Demeter (goddess of harvest. she mostly deals with flowers in this)  
> Billy = Cerberus (3 headed dog that guards the gates of hell)  
> Vane = Poseidon (god of ocean)  
> Anne = sea nymph  
> Jack = sea nymph  
> Idelle = Hecate (goddess of magic and sorcery)   
> Muldoon = Thanatos (god of death)  
> Teach = Zeus (god of gods and lightening)
> 
>  
> 
> Thought of this AU at three in the morning at had to get it out of my system. I have no idea where this fic is going. There may be smut. Who knows? Not me.

Silver is very happy with his life. He is friends with the goddess Max and lives with her and her nymphs. During the day Max spends her time visiting with Silver. She spends her nights with the sea nymphs Anne and Jack. Today Max is busy caring for the various nymphs at the brothel. There was some silly disagreement about who knows what.

Silver woke up to the feeling of sun shine on his skin and a breeze drifting in from the open balcony doors. The smell of the sea mixed with the flowers in the room. He stretched lazily and sighed. Today was one of those amazing days and doing any kind of work would ruin it. All he had to do was slip past Max. That, of course, is when Max came rushing into his room.

“We have a problem,” she says closing his door behind her and rushing across the room to close the balcony door. She even drew the shades closed. The flowers in the room started to close their blossoms in reaction to her anxiety.

Silver sat up quickly. He’s never seen Max this upset before. “What’s wrong?”

“Vane is here.”

“He’s here all the time.”

“Flint will also be here.”

He jumps out of bed to throw clothes on. “Why is the god of the Underworld coming?! He never leaves his realm!”

“Vane hasn’t been giving Flint the number of souls that he demands. It’s not good for us to get caught between them. It’s treacherous enough for the nymphs and me. For you, my mortal friend, it is almost certain death.”

Silver was truly starting to panic. He had to hide while they were here. Anne would protect Max because she loved her. Jack would protect the nymphs so that they could continue to make money. Silver felt like he was the only one that was truly in danger.

“I can’t stay at the brothel,” he says throwing on his boots and grabbing a bag to throw food in.

“I agree. Take a horse and go to the old Barlow house. You can stay there for a few days without being noticed. I will send someone as soon as this is over.”

Max looks terrified. Silver stops rushing around the room and hugs her. “It will be okay. Vane may resist at first but he will give more souls to Flint. He’s just been distracted by that mortal Eleanor. He’ll realize this and make it up.”

“You are still naïve, my young friend. The last time they clashed thousands of innocent creatures died. Fighting gods is never a good thing,” she says removing herself from the hug. “Go now. I do not know when they will be here. You must be far away before they arrive.”

Silver kisses her forehead and then runs downstairs. As he’s about to run out the back door, Idelle grabs him and gives him a large, heavy bag.

“What is this?” he asks.

“Food and clothes. Don’t die.”

“I didn’t know that you cared, Idelle,” Silver said with a crooked smile.

“If you die, Max will be upset. An upset boss isn’t a good boss.”

Silver shrugs at her. That last sentence was more like her. She had enough spirit that most gods were terrified of her. She shoved him out of the door and slammed it behind him. There was a horse saddled and waiting for him.

The ride to the Barlow house took him almost two hours. He unsaddled the horse and put it in an old pen that was still in good shape. He found a nearby well and filled the horse’s trough. 

The old house was covered in dust, but that appeared to be the only problem with it. He opened all the windows and doors to try to air the place out. Teacups were scattered here and there. Bookshelves were everywhere. At least Silver could read if he got too bored. There were two bedrooms. The first was completely plain. The second held a wardrobe and chest that contained a woman’s clothes. The bed was in better shape, so that’s the one he decided to make his room.

After unpacking his clothes and eating two apples, Silver decided to walk around outside. He didn’t like to be cooped up in buildings for too long. He enjoyed the sunshine and nature too much. There was a shallow creek not too far from the house. It would be perfect to wade in and cool down. He leaves his boots in the house along with his shirt.

The water was cool around his ankles, and the pebbles were smooth. He followed it until he came across a sort of small pond. The water only went up to his thighs, but it was enough that he could easily float on top. He played around for a bit. He would see how long he could hold his breath and flip his wet hair around.

Silver got bored quickly without anyone else around. He decided he would go back to the house and flip through the books. When he got there, he took off his pants and laid them on the back of a chair by the fire, so they could dry. His long shirt was put back on, because he felt weird walking naked through this house. No one was around, but he still felt like he wasn’t alone.

The feeling got worse and worse as the day progressed. Soon, he could bare it no longer and took a book outside with him. There was a nice field not too far away with lush grass and beautiful flowers. They were all beautiful and bright. Except for one.

It was nothing like the colorful, vibrant flowers that bloomed around Max. This one was black and looked wilted. Silver saw no others like it. Just a single black plant. Leaving it felt wrong. It felt like this was something that was to be cherished. He quickly ran into the house, leaving the book by the flower. He returned with ink and a quill and started to sketch the flower on the inside cover of the book.

While he was drawing, the feeling of not being alone came over him again. He glanced around quickly. There was a man standing behind him between Silver and the house. He slowly rose to his feet.

The man was a little bit taller than Silver. His head was shaved and he had a red beard. He was wearing all black and a coat despite the heat. The intense gaze of the man caused fear to coil in his gut. As the man took a step forward, Silver took a step back.

“It’s not polite to enter a stranger’s house and draw in his books,” rumbled the man.

Silver knew what he had to do. With no weapon, he had no choice but to talk his way out of this. A lopsided smile spreads across his face and he puts his hands up. “I had no idea you lived here. I was told that the house was abandoned.”

The stranger furrowed his brow. “What is your name?”

“Silver. What’s yours?”

A wicked smile appears on his face. “Flint.”


	2. Dahlia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His mouth pulls up on one side. “It’s almost time for it to come home.” The way he said it made Silver think he was referring to something else. But what? Flint wraps one of his black curls around a finger. “You should go home, Silver. Perhaps I will see you soon.” With that, he releases Silver’s waste. He turns and starts walking towards the house only to disappear after a few steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter already! While I was writing, I realized that Teach is totally Zeus. I'm also in denial that Muldoon is dead, so he will be in this story. Sorry that I made Billy a three-headed dog. That just sort of happened.

Silver stumbled back. This man can’t be Flint. He can’t be the God of the Dead. “You have a meeting with Vane.”

“How did you know that?” Flint says while stepping closer.

Silver berates himself. He shouldn’t have said anything. “I live at Max’s. She said you and Vane were meeting there.”

“Do you work at the brothel?” Another step closer and another step back.

“Yes.”

“Max should not have told you about me.”

“She was worried that you would fight and I would get hurt.”

Silver never sees him move, but suddenly Flint is only a few inches away. He stumbles back at the surprise. Flint catches him with an arm around his waist.

“Don’t step on my flower. It’s the only one that grows outside of the Underworld.”

“What kind of flower is it?”

“A dahlia.”

“It looks like it’s dying,” Silver says as he looks in Flint’s eyes. They’re blue.

His mouth pulls up on one side. “It’s almost time for it to come home.” The way he said it made Silver think he was referring to something else. But what? Flint wraps one of his black curls around a finger. “You should go home, Silver. Perhaps I will see you soon.” With that, he releases Silver’s waste. He turns and starts walking towards the house only to disappear after a few steps.

Silver doesn’t have to be told twice to leave. He rushes into the house, throws on his pants and boots, and runs to saddle the horse, leaving the bags in the house and the book in the yard by the now-dead dahlia.

The horse is ran to its limit on the way back to the brothel. Max needs to know about what happened. She needs to calm him down and give him advice. All the way back Silver worries about what will happen if he runs into Flint again. Stories have told him that he is not a god to be messed with. He has sentenced souls to an eternity of pain for something as petty as lying. And gods know Silver has done plenty of lying.

 

Vane was being particularly annoying today. All he talked about was the mortal woman that was clearly playing with him. He was the God of the Sea. He needed to have better control. He needed to create storms that sink ships and destroy towns. But no. He has to stay in bed with Eleanor for a week.

Teach is not any better. He has some new wife with some weird habit that reminds him of some past wife that had a weird habit. They all had weird habits. That seemed to be Teach’s type. He was telling Vane all about them in an attempt to teach him who knows what.

Vane had promised to stay out of Eleanor’s bed long enough to stir up a hurricane. He wanted to create a small tempest at first, but Flint was owed over fifty souls by now. Muldoon was getting cranky from only collecting souls from land. Like Flint, Muldoon had a love for the sea. Vane didn’t deserve to rule it. He spent most of his time on land. 

Flint was bored and sitting in a corner by himself. The brothel was empty expect for Vane, Teach, Max, and himself. His thoughts kept shifting to the man at his house. His bright blue eyes and black hair. Flint wanted to bury his hands in that hair. Silver was his name. He would look amazing in silver jewelry. It would be nice against his tan skin. He should wear rings and bracelets. Flint shifted in his seat imagining how his neck would look with delicate chains running around it.

Max wasn’t looking at him. She was watching Teach and Vane. She knew that they were the dangerous ones. Flint wasn’t above ground enough to cause very much trouble. He stood and walked over to her.

“How much would it cost to buy a whore from you, Max?”

She looked at him with her eyes narrowed. “The girls charge different prices for different services.”

At this point Vane and Teach had stopped talking and were staring at him with curiosity.

“I’m not asking for a few hours. I will buy one from you.”

“I do not auction them off like that,” she spits at him. 

A rumble like a lion left Flint’s chest. He wanted Silver. She had no right to look down on him when she was the one guying nymphs to whore out.

Max quickly realized her mistake in speaking to him that way but refused to step down. “The girls are happy here. They are surrounded by their friends. I cannot part with them, but please feel free to pay visits whenever you feel like.”

Flint liked that she didn’t back down, but he hated the thought of merely renting Silver. He wanted the man with him in the Underworld. He would just get him another way. He gives a nod to Max pretending to concede defeat. No one really beats death though. He contemplates going home as Vane and Teach start talking again. Billy will be hungry, and Muldoon deserves some good news. Flint wants to see Silver again, but there is no point if Max will not let him have him. He will have to devise a plan to take the boy.

 

Silver arrives at the brothel while Vane and Teach are still speaking. Idelle stops him before he can run in and talk to Max. “What are you doing here? No one told you it was okay to come back.”

“I need to talk to Max,” he pants out.

“Vane and Teach are still here.”

Silver goes still. “Flint is gone?” he asks quietly.

“He left about ten minutes ago.”

Silver grabs Idelle’s arm and leans in close to her. “What does he look like?”

“Flint?”

“Yes, Flint! What does he look like?” Silver asks impatiently.

“Red beard. Shaved head. Looks like it’s been centuries since he’s smiled.”

Silver quickly lets go of her arm. He can’t think. It really was Flint that he saw. He doesn’t know what to do. He can’t talk to Max. She’ll worry and there’s nothing she can do if Flint is planning anything. He can’t go to his room and hide because the other gods are still here. He can’t go back to the Barlow house. Idelle is looking at him like he’s crazy.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

He needs to tell someone. He needs to talk about what happened so someone can tell him that it will all be okay. “While I was at the house, Flint appeared. He said that his house and then he disappeared.”

She looks worried and that is doing nothing for Silver’s worry. “Is that all that happened?”

“No,” he says while shaking his head. “I was sketching a flower. He said that drawing in his book was rude and he told me about the flower. He said that it belonged in the Underworld and would be there soon.”

“He called you rude!”

“Yes,” Silver squeaks out.

“This is bad. You made him angry.” Idelle seems to lose herself in thought and starts pacing. After a few seconds she stops. “Flint asked Max how much it would cost to buy one of us.”

“Do you think he meant me?” worry seeping into his tone.

“Flint never saw any of the girls. Only you. He may have wanted to buy you because, if he did anything to you, Max would get mad.”

“He would do that just to keep Max happy?” his confusion evident.

“Max isn’t some small goddess,” she slowly says like Silver is stupid. “She can make all the plants on earth die. Then all the animals, people, and nymphs would die. She is not someone to mess with.”

“What did she tell him?”

“She said that we weren’t for sell like that.”

Silver sighs. “That’s good. She won’t sell me, and he won’t dare make her angry. That means I’m safe and everything will be fine.” He plasters a fake smile on his face. The worry is still there eating its way through his stomach. “Don’t tell Max. It would just make upset her, and she already has so much to worry about.”

Idelle doesn’t look as sure as Silver is pretending to be. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is.”

“Okay.”


	3. It's Time To Go Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver was out of breath by the time he reached the cliffs. He was weaving between the rocks, almost to the fire. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around his waist and a hand closed over his mouth before he could scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Max and Idelle are totally Silver's parents. In case you're wondering, they are not wearing any Greek style clothing. I'm imagining them in the same clothes as the show. Billy will be in the next chapter. Can't wait to introduce you to my three-headed dog version of him. Let's hope I don't screw it up.
> 
> Also, I use music to get me in the writing mood. If there are any songs that you feel match the fic or you just think I should listen to, feel free to tell me.

“You owe me, Teach.”

“I know,” he says with a sigh. “Are you sure you want to do this? Think of what Max will do.”

“She holds no power over me.”

“She holds power over the rest of us,” Teach hisses. He was reluctant to help. He had seen what happened when others had angered her. No one had dared do what they were planning to do to her in over three hundred years. He sighs again. “Do you have a plan?”

“Yes.”

 

When Silver woke the next day, he was still afraid. He had hid in the stables until Idelle told him Vane and Teach had left. At first, Max was angry that Silver had returned early. He quickly told a lie about how he couldn’t leave her alone with the gods. She saw through it instantly but did not comment on the fear in his eyes. She pushed him off to his room and said that no one was to work tonight.

All the doors were closed and windows covered in his room. The same feeling of not being alone from the Barlow house crept over him in the night. Silver tried to convince himself that it was just his mind playing tricks. Halfway through the night he had to light a candle. He kept seeing the shadows in the corners move.

Someone knocked on his door causing him to jump. “Yes?” he called out, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

Max opened the door and walked in without a word. She was carrying a bowl of food that she thrust at him. He sat up in bed and accepted in. She sat on the edge of his bed and stared at him until he started eating. It was churning in his stomach, but he tried not to show it.

After a few bites, she finally spoke. “I cannot let you remain like this. What has you so afraid, Silver?”

He couldn’t tell her the truth. Flint was too powerful a god to cross. If he was to punish Silver, he would find a way out of it on his own. Max could not be involved. She had worked too hard to get where she was at and too many relying on her.

“I worry that you are too involved with Vane and Teach. They’re bad enough on their own. Getting them together is not good for anyone. And Flint was here with them yesterday. His hatred of those two is common knowledge. Why would they meet at a brothel? At a brothel you own?” It was not what was causing this fear, but it is something that he had thought about ever since yesterday morning. 

Max sighs. “Vane used to own me.” Silver had never heard of this before. It causes him to sit up more with curiosity. “I wasn’t always this powerful. I had to fight for my life and this power. I worked at this brothel for many years. One day Vane, Anne, and Jack walked in, said the old owner was dead, and that they were in charge now. It was in disarray for several weeks. Then I struck a deal with Jack to help run the place. After a few years, they lost interest and returned to the sea. I bought their shares with the agreement that they could come back at any time for any reason.”

Silver realized that he was right for not telling her about him meeting Flint. She deserved to be safe and happy. She didn’t need this worry and getting involved could cause her to lose everything.

He looked down at his food and took a few more bites. Max’s story had distracted him from his fear enough for his stomach to settle a little. When he looked up again, she was staring intently at a flower by the bed post. It was a dark purple with petals that were thinner than paper that swirled in several rows around its center.

“What?” he asks.

“This is not one of my flowers,” she answer. She reaches a hand out to touch it, and it withdrawals from her. Most flowers try to move closer to Max, not away. Her brow furrows at it. “Have you been making flowers, Silver?”

“No.” His stomach is rolling again. He tries to calm himself with the thought that it is not dahlia or black.

Max shrugs. “Some of the wood nymphs have been making their own. I thought they may taught you. It is pretty.”

“Yes,” he squeaks out. Thankfully she’s too preoccupied by the flower to notice. He swallows a few times to get his voice back to normal. “I think I’m going to lay in bed all day since you’re not going to let us work,” he tried to sound playful.

It worked. Max chuckled. “Don’t get too relaxed. Teach sent a message this morning saying that he wanted to make a deal with me. He may want some variety in the company he keeps this time.” She stands and leaves with a mischievous smile on her face. Silver smiles at her, but it vanishes when she closes the door. She’ll be distracted by Teach long enough for him to get over his irrational fear. And that’s what it was. Irrational.

He glances to his side. The new flower is starting to open again. He reaches for it, and it opens quicker for him. The petals are cold as ice. He jerks his hand away like it burned him. The brothel is always warm, and his room is stifling because of the closed doors and windows. How is this flower cold? With his fear boiling over, he leaps to his feet and starts ripping the flower to pieces and doesn’t stop until he’s pulled every vine and root he found off the wall and shredded it.

Silver crawls back into bed and curls in on himself facing away from the mess he just made. It was several hours later before sleep claimed him again. He slept better now than last night. The fear had taken his energy from him.

 

He wakes suddenly in the late afternoon. The room is stifling now, making it hard to breathe. Covered in sweat and his clothes sticking to him, Silver stands and walks to the basin on the table by the balcony. The water isn’t cold or fresh but feels amazing in his throat. 

He moves the curtain to the side to look into the street. People are going about their business. They’re packing up their belongings and cleaning to close for the night. Some are already walking to the tavern. No brothel tonight for them. That just means that tomorrow will be a lot busier. 

The fear had subsided enough for him to start feeling caged instead of sheltered. He quickly throws on his clothes and slips out of his room. The girls are too busy playing games to notice that he is sneaking out. Max is nowhere to be seen, and Silver thought he had made it undetected. Until Idelle grabbed the back of his shirt.

“Where are you going?” she demands while crossing her arms.

“I just wanted to get out for a bit,” he says in a defensive tone.

“You’re an idiot.”

“No, I’m not,” he says with a tone like a child that just got his pride hurt.

Idelle moves her hands to her hips. “First, you piss off the ruler of the Underworld. Then, you refuse to tell Max, the only person protecting you, and hide in your room all day and night. And now, you’re sneaking out. Those are things only an idiot would do.”

Silver rolls his eyes. “We’ve talked about this, Idelle. Flint won’t do anything to make Max angry, and I’m not scared of him.”

“That’s the problem,” she says like a plea. “You should be scared.”

“He’s not petty like the other gods. And I wasn’t hiding in my room.” He was. “I was tired from all the riding and excitement. I feel great now. I’m going for a walk.” With that, he walks out the door.

“Silver,” Idelle calls softly. He turns to look back at her. Worry is written all over her face. “I know your doors and windows were closed.”

“I didn’t want to be disturbed,” he lied and started walking again. “I’ll bring you flowers.”

 

Flint smiled to himself. Silver was afraid but not too much to keep him from doing what he wanted. That was good. Being afraid meant he was smart. Doing what he wanted anyway meant that he would get used to Flint and not shy away like the other pathetic creatures. It did hurt his feelings that Silver despised his flower so much. It took a lot of thought to create something. He was so used to dealing with what was already destroyed. He just had to wait until there were more shadows. Then he could take Silver. Thankfully Teach was upholding his end and distracting Max. Flint didn’t need her getting in the way.

 

Max was tiring of listening to Teach talk. They bickered about prices for hours now. He insisted that as such a powerful god he shouldn’t have to pay as much. She insisted that since he was such a powerful god he could afford to pay more. He was asking for several girls for several hours. That would cost a lot of money. She was also raising the price due the business she lost because of the meeting yesterday. Customers were reluctant to come back after such powerful gods were there for business and not pleasure. Towards the end of this meeting, Max started to feel something. She could not put a word to it but knew that it was not good.

 

Silver was not enjoying his walk. It was nice at first, then a cold feeling came over him. It felt as though the shadows were watching and waiting for something. The feeling got worse the more he walked. He sped up. When he walked out of the town limits, he broke into a full run towards the cliffs. He could hide amongst the opium addicts by the large fire.

 

Flint’s smile had grown. The cliffs and the fire created more shadows. He wouldn’t have to wait as long as he thought.

 

Silver was out of breath by the time he reached the cliffs. He was weaving between the rocks, almost to the fire. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around his waist and a hand closed over his mouth before he could scream. Panic was pulsing through his veins. He was clawing at the hands holding him and felt a warm liquid start to well up from where he scratched.

“Enough of that,” came a voice that rumbled from the chest he was pulled against. Silver knew the voice. He could feel the god’s beard tickle his ear as he moved closer. “It’s time to go home.”

Suddenly, Flint lurched back like he was diving in water while still keeping his grip on Silver. He tensed, prepared to hit the ground. But it parted beneath them in wispy shadows. He tried to scream against the hand still on his mouth. He was kicking and kicking as they sank lower but to no avail. Flint didn’t even seem bothered. Then he started to feel sleepy. The terror of Flint and the shadows was not enough to keep him conscious, and his eyes slipped closed.

 

When Silver awoke, he was in the softest bed he had ever been in. The sheets and blankets slipped around him like they were made of satin. He sat quickly, on the alert for any danger. It appeared like he was alone. In a bedroom. A very large bedroom. The walls were black stone. The bed was huge and on a raised platform. There was a fireplace in the opposite wall. It was as wide as the bed. Silver shivered at the thought of that it was big enough to burn several bodies in.

There was a familiar rumbling from the corner of the room behind him. “It’s nice to see you're awake.”


	4. Sharp Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flint released him suddenly and stood. “Get back on the bed,” he barked at him.
> 
> “Or what?” Silver snapped without thinking. To be fair, thinking was hard to do when the ruler of the Underworld may or may not want to kill you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this chapter took so long. I did not forget you guys. I swear. Just so much has happened with school, work, and personal life. It took some time to work through it, but I'm back. Hope you like the chapter!!

Silver started to scramble off the bed, but his feet got caught in the blanket. He tumbled off the end. His head cracked against the floor, and his hip caught the corner of stairs that lead to the bed. The pain was enough to stop his attempted escape. He felt something warm running down his face then a presence behind him.

Flint slowly rested his hands on him. One was on his shoulder and the other slipped to where he had just hurt his head. Silver hissed when his hand made contact with the wound. Flint made a huffing noise at him in return. The pain in his head started to subside, feeling better every second. It was like cool water rippling across the wound. The hand that was on his shoulder slid across his stomach to touch the hip he landed on, and the same thing happened. First there was the pain of contact then coolness.

After all the pain was gone and the panic started to set in again, he was turned so he was on his back instead of side. His head was turned so Flint could examine it. He made a tsk noise like Silver was a small child he disapproved of. Silver knew that his eyes were huge. Anything could happen. Flint’s face was obscured by shadows since his back was to the fireplace, and he wanted to know what emotion was present on it. 

Flint released him suddenly and stood. “Get back on the bed,” he barked at him.

“Or what?” Silver snapped without thinking. To be fair, thinking was hard to do when the ruler of the Underworld may or may not want to kill you.

“Or your stay here will be a lot more unpleasant. Now, do as I say.” There was definitely anger in Flint’s voice now.

Silver didn’t want to think about the words, so he did as he was told. Once back on the bed, he fought the urge to pull the cover up. He wasn’t going to hide behind it like some ignorant child that thought it would stop the monsters. Also, he didn’t want to appear like he was okay with being kidnapped and waking in a stranger’s bed.

Flint walked through a small open doorway that Silver had not noticed before. While he was gone, he resisted the urge to slip out the larger doors that had to be the way out. Flint walked back into the room before Silver could even start making a plan.

He was carrying a small but ornate bowl that he sat on the table by the side of the bed that Silver was close to. Without a word, he waved his hand, and the fire started burning brighter. Then he grabbed Silver’s chin and turned it so the side of his head that he hit was in the direct light. When he released his chin and sat on the bed. He pulled a wet cloth from the bowl, rung the water from it, and started to wipe the blood from his face. His movements were slow and touch careful.

Silver’s inability to think caused him to open his mouth again. “Why did you heal me?”

Flint paused and looked him. “What do you mean?”

“I made you angry, and now you’re healing me. Why are you cleaning my blood off when you’re about to punish me?”

“Why do you think I’m mad and what to punish you?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.

“I intruded in your house and drew in your book.” Silver was starting to sound distressed. He was very confused as to what exactly was happening.

“I’m not going to punish you for going into what you thought was an abandoned house and drawing in a book that you found in the house.”

“Then why am I here?!” He was starting to slowly shuffle away from Flint.

A sullen look passed over Flint’s face like he was getting annoyed by the questions. He dropped the cloth back in the bowl, and Silver used the distraction to move further away from him. 

Flint moved so that he was reclining where he just moved away. His feet were stretched out in front of him and his back was against the ornate headboards. He crossed his hands over his stomach and closed his eyes. It looked as if he was about to take a nap.

“Why do you think you’re here? Other than petty revenge over a book.” He never opened his eyes or moved.

Silver didn’t move either. He was racking his brain trying to think about why the god would want him. He was thinking back to when they first met. Flint called him rude. Silver let it slip that he knew about his meeting with Vane. Flint asked how he knew that. Then Silver….oh. That was it. That was what he wanted.

He relaxed, put on the smile that he knew people loved, and moved closer to the god. He was still hesitant around Flint. He did have some self-preservation. Silver got on his knees and slide one over Flint, so he was straddling his hips.

That was what finally got Flint to open his eyes. He looked amused with his lip ticking up on one side but also a little bored. Silver leaned closer to him and put his mouth by his ear. “If you wanted my services, you could have come to me at the brothel.”

Flint chuckled and moved his hands from his stomach to grasps Silver’s hips. His thumbs were rubbing small circles. He moved him mouth to copy where he placed his. He had to resist the urge to shiver when his beard tickled his ear. “I want all of you, but Max would not sell you to me. So I took you. You’re mine now.” 

At this point, Flint’s grip is tight enough on his hips to leave bruises, and dread is washing over Silver. His breath is coming faster, and his chest is tight. “I want to leave.” He puts his hands of Flint’s shoulders and pulls his face away.

“You’re not leaving.” He looks feral now. His teeth are exposed in what is supposed to be a smile. His eye slowly look up and down Silver. Looking at his newest treasure.

Silver can’t take it anymore. He has to get out of here. This god is insane. He jerks away, and this time Flint releases his hold. He slowly backs away, not willing to remove his eyes off his captor. Flint just closes his eyes and crosses his hands again.

Silver takes it as an opportunity and runs out the large doors he saw earlier. He was right. They open to a large hallway. This room was at the very end, so Silver just runs forward. Terror is pulsing through him. This entire place is made of black rock. He reaches the end where the hallways joins another and decides to go to the right.

He doesn’t know where he’s going. He just lets his legs carry him. There is a great big room not too far ahead with a lot of light from a fire. He slows and tries to quiet his breathing. If people are in there, it would be very bad to get caught. He peaks around the corner and doesn’t see anybody. 

The room has chairs and couches that are large and ornate. Huge glass doors lead to a balcony. The fireplace is twice the size as the one in the bedroom, and there is something curled up in front of it. The creature is covered in brown fur and is the biggest thing Silver has ever seen. It appears to be sleeping.

He scans the room. Many hallways branch off from this room. He wants to stay away from the ones that are too close to the creature. One misstep and he could wake it. He tiptoes on his bare feet to the side of the room. There are stairs that lead up and down. Since there’s a balcony, it would make sense that Silver needs to go down the stairs to escape. A quick look confirms that the creature is still sleeping.

Silver goes as quickly as he can down the stairs without losing his balance or making too much noise. He goes down several levels. Each time there is a room similar to the one the creature was in but empty of any living being. He finally gets to a room that is much larger. There aren’t dozens of hallways, and the class doors are replaced by large windows. That means that a door to the outside must be close by.

As he’s looking around, he hears footsteps on the stairs. He quickly ducks behind an ornate chair that was pushed into one of the dark corners. Peaking around the back of it, Silver sees Flint confidently stride into the room. He doesn’t look upset, angry, or like he’s in any particular rush to be anywhere. He doesn’t even look around the room, just walks through on open doorway on his way somewhere else.

Silver waits until his footsteps have long since faded before he moves. He’s close to getting out of the castle. Mansion. Whatever it is. He knows that people get careless with the end in sight, so he makes sure that he’s extra cautious now. Going into the same room as Flint is a bad idea. He could easily be hiding, waiting for Silver to come to him. He creeps to the closest window and starts looking for the latch. Thankfully they slide up.

He takes a few breaths before he attempts to open it. So much could go wrong. It could be stuck. It could make a loud noise. Someone could be outside. There could be traps on the ground. Silver lifts his eyes upward like a prayer and slowly starts pulling up. It’s not moving. Probably never been opened before. He tries harder and there’s a little movement. He has to open it in increments with small bursts of strength. He only opens it as much as he needs to. There’s no time to waste, and it may start making noise.

Silver crawls through. Thankfully the window was only a foot or so away from the ground. He stays low and allows his eyes to adjust to the light. 

It’s dark like it is before a big storm. There’s enough light to see, but you feel trapped and want the warmth of the sun back. Everything is sand and rock. It’s cold, and it makes Silver wish he still had his shoes and jacket.

He moves so that he’s squatting. Walking in front of windows is a very bad idea, so he starts creeping to what he assumes is the back of the building. The rocks are cutting his feet. Before long, he’s leaving a blood trail. He keeps going though until he reaches a corner. A peak around it reveals that no one else is around.

The backyard is just like everything else: dark, cold, stone, and sand. There’s a door on this side of the mansion and a flat area that at any other place would be considered a courtyard. There’s too high a chance that someone could come out here for Silver to try to cross it.

He tries to think about what he’s been told about the Underworld. Flint’s home is in the very center. That has to be where Silver is at. The place is surrounded by the river Styx which is also the entrance to the Underworld. If he can find the river, he can follow it to where it leads out. That means he just has to pick a direction and start walking. And that’s what he does.

After about an hour, Silver is miserable. He’s sitting on the ground and crying. His feet are so cut up there are pieces of flesh hanging off. The house is out of sight, but the river still can’t be seen. He has to keep going. He has to get away. He tries to get on his feet. With a cry of pain he falls down. They can’t support him. Silver tries crawling and gives that up after twenty minutes.

He’s curled on his side hiccupping when it finds him. Apparently the creature by the fire was a three-headed dog. Silver hears it approach and hopes that it’s some animal that will eat him. The heads just take turns sniffing him though. It moves so that it is in front of him.

“That wasn’t very smart,” says the left head.

Silver huffs. Of course the thing can talk. Probably only stops to sleep since it’s got so many mouths. 

It actually doesn’t say another word. It just sits down and waits. After a while, Silver is about to ask what’s happening when he feels a presence. He recognizes it by now and curls up tighter. There are footsteps behind him that stop about a foot away.

“That will be all, Billy.” And the three-headed thing leaves. Flint’s voice is closer the next time he talks. He must have squatted down to get a better look at Silver. “I’m not going to heal you every time you hurt yourself trying to run away.” Then he’s quiet, like he’s waiting for a reply. When he realizes he’s not getting one, he picks up Silver and starts walking back to his house.

“Do all the heads have the same name or different names?” Silver asks after a few steps.

Flint huffs and a smile appears on his face. “All the same.”

Silver nods and closes his eyes. Coolness has started radiating from the hands Flint has under his knees and across his back. With the pain fading, he realizes just how tires he is and falls asleep.

 

Max is crying in her room. Vane made all the sea nymphs return to him when he saw how upset she was. The wood nymphs were hiding at the tavern. Even the flowers were closed. The only people still at the brothel were Max, Anna, Jack, and Idelle. Anne and Jack had Max between them and were trying to comfort her. Idelle was in the common area wondering what she should do, wringing her hands as she paced.

“Why would he leave?” Max sobbed into Anne’s shoulder. “I can’t feel his presence anywhere. He just left me.” Jack and Anne didn’t know what to say, so they just hugged her closer.

“He’ll turn up,” said Jack. “He always does.”

“But I always felt him before. I feel nothing now.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Idelle walks in before anyone can give her permission. All three heads look at her, but she’s only looking at Max.

“He didn’t want me to tell you. He didn’t want you to worry. He said it would all be fine. I should have known better. He was so jumpy and lied to me when I asked him about it,” Idelle blurted out.

“What are you talking about,” Max asks in a low voice.

Idelle swallowed. “I think Flint took Silver.”


	5. A Warm Bath and Some Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Promise to bring me food?” he asks. He tried for a light tone but fell short.
> 
> The expressions on all of Billy’s faces soften. “Yes,” they say at the same time.
> 
>  
> 
> The thought of being alone again hurts just as much as the thought of how much he hurt Silver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that it's been a very long time since I've updated. Unfortunately, I've been really busy and writing a few sentences here and there. I only just now got time to type out this chapter and upload it.
> 
> I'm sorry that you waited so long. I'll try to be faster with updating.

Silver woke up in the slowly. He rolled over with a grumble and sighed as he moved to the cool side of the bed. It took a few minutes for him to remember what happened. Flint’s presence is absent from the room. And how weird is it that he just knows.

He sits up and rubs the bottom of his feet. They’re completely healed, like it never happened. He only knows that it did is by the way they feel. They tingle and there’s a phantom pain. Flint may have healed him, but Silver’s body still thinks that it’s not. He moves to the end of the bed and gingerly puts one foot on the floor. Still no pain. 

He slowly stands and walks to the door that Flint got the bowl from when Silver first hurt himself. It’s got a large tub with steaming water in it. Was someone in here not too long ago? There was also a basin filled with water and a few full pitchers on a table by it. The most interesting thing in the room was the lavatory. Only the very wealthy had them. Why wouldn’t a god?

Silver relieves himself and goes to the basin to wash his hands. There are all kinds of soaps in all kinds of jars with all kinds of scents. There’s a small bowl with rose petals that he thinks are meant for the tub. As much as a warm bath appeals to him right now, he’s too hungry to not go searching for food, so he leaves the room.

This place is inescapable, and that thought actually calms him. He has no need to run or hide. He can walk around freely now. Kitchens tend to be on the bottom floor, so he goes back to the room where he knows the stairs are. 

Billy is there again but awake this time, staring out the window. Silver’s still walking gingerly on his feet so he taps a table he walks by. He doesn’t want to startle a three headed dog. The right head turns, looks at him, the looks out the window again.

Silver is at a loss as to what to do. Does he ask Billy where the kitchen is? Does he ask if he can even go to the kitchen? Should he just leave him alone?

Billy’s heads turn towards him. “It’s because your body remembers,” said the left head.

“Beg your pardon?” Silver asks.

“The reason you’re walking like that,” spoke the middle head.   
“It’s because your body remembers the pain,” finishes the left.  
“Bet your feet tingle,” added the right.

“Um yeah,” Silver replies looking away from him. “I’m hungry.” 

He got used to having food whenever he wanted it at the brothel. When he was a kid on the streets, it was a different story. Max saved him. He missed her. She was probably worried sick about him. He wanted to cry but refused to in front of anyone. Especially Billy.

“Follow me,” said the center and right head at the same time. Then Billy starts walking towards the stairs. 

Silver follows a few feet behind. When they get to the level he recognizes as the bottom floor, Billy takes a hallway off to the side that Silver failed to notice during his escape. They continue towards the back of the building until they reach a large dining room.

It’s large enough for a few dozen people. It’s lavishly decorated. Huge carved chairs with intricate designs. Plates and glasses that appear to be made with glass and gold around the rims. Large bouquets dominate the middle.

Most important, though, was the thick layer of dust. No one has touched anything in this dining room for months, if not years.

Billy walks past it without a second glance. Swinging doors lead to another dining room. Nothing fancy about this one.

The table and chairs have no designs or decorations but are covered in scratches. The plates and tankards are made of normal metal. There is not dust. This is where the common people eat every day.

Billy’s too big to fit through the next set of doors. He just stops by them. The left head keeps looking between Silver and the doors. With a sigh, Silver goes through them.

The kitchen is …. a total fucking mess. There’s no other way to describe it.

Dirty pots and pans are piled everywhere. It also appears as though there is not a trash pail. An old man with a mean look on his face and a peg leg is peeling potatoes while a cat climbs all over him.

Silver’s not sure if he wants to eat any food from here. Unfortunately, his stomach gives a painful lurch, reminding him that it’s been a day or two since he’s eaten.

He takes a step towards the man and smiles. “Hello.”

“Thief,” sneers the man.

“Excuse me?”

“Thief,” he repeats.

“I am not a thief!” Silver yells. “Anymore,” he adds in a whisper.

“Thief.”

“I just want some food!”

Suddenly, the door opens, and Billy’s right head picks Silver up by the back of his pants. Billy takes him back to the fancy dining room but doesn’t put him down.

“I just want food!” Silver yells at Billy.

The center head lowers to make eye contact with him. “Randall’s agitated. I’ll get you some food.”

“After you bathe,” the left says as the right drops him. “You’re covered in dried blood and dirt.

Silver looks down at his legs. Billy’s right. He is absolutely filthy right now. He was too hungry to notice earlier.

“Promise to bring me food?” he asks. He tried for a light tone but fell short.

The expressions on all of Billy’s faces soften. “Yes,” they say at the same time.

Silver walked off, back to his room.

Billy lets out a sigh as soon as he’s gone. ‘What was Flint thinking? Silver’s clearly had a hard life before and doesn’t need this,’ he thinks to himself.

 

Silver went to check the water in the tub. Hopefully, it was still warm. There is steam rising from it. He dips his fingers in. It’s hot. Must be enchanted not to lose heat.

There’s a pile of clothes on a nearby table. They’re all dark. The pants are black, and the shirt is a very dark green. They appear to be his size. There are no shoes or boot. A pair of bright red, striped socks are present though.

Silver strips off his tattered clothes. There’s no way they can be saved. One side of them is shredded from laying on the rocky ground.

This really upsets him. Max gave him the shirt after a drunk customer ripped his favorite one. It’s the most expensive thing that he owns. Was. Was the most expensive thing he owned. The pants had been mended more than he can count, but Idelle taught him how to fix holes on them. And now, they were beyond repair.

He tries to shake thoughts of how worried Max and Idelle must be. His chest is tight, and his eyes sting.

As he slips into the tub, he can’t help but close his eyes at how good it feels. The warm water eases the ache in his muscles.

He dunks his head a few times to wet his hair. Then leans back and closes his eyes, letting his mind go blank.

 

Flint is furious at Teach. Silver was supposed to be his. Now, Teach says he must let Silver go back to Max.

Flint doesn’t want to let him go. Doesn’t think that he can. He knows that makes him selfish. Silver got hurt so badly just trying to escape him. He’s been with Max since he was a boy and surely misses her. 

He deserves to go home, and Flint knows that he should have never taken him. Silver deserves to be surrounded by warmth, and sunshine, and his friends. Not cold stone and Flint.

What hurts the most is the knowledge that, when Silver does go home, he will want nothing to do with Flint.

The thought of being alone again hurts just as much as the thought of how much he hurt Silver.

 

The bath is no longer an adequate distraction from the hunger that Silver feels. He’s washed his hair and scrubbed his body. He even fell asleep for a short bit.

With a sigh, he leaves the warm water. He grabs a towel as quick as he can. The cold air causes him to shiver.

The clothes fit him perfectly, and the socks are warm. He walks into the bedroom and pulls the pillows and covers off the bed. He then uses them to make a pallet on the floor in front of the fire.

His hunger is still very present, but now that he’s warm again and curled up, he doesn’t want to move.

Silver is on the edge of sleep when he feels Flint’s presence. The feeling is weak though. Like he’s far away. It gradually becomes stronger. As if Flint is walking this way.

For some reason the feeling is comforting. Before, it was upsetting and oppressive. Now, it feels like another warm blanket wrapped around him.

It’s not long before the bedroom door opens. Flint’s presence is everywhere now. It fills the room.

Silver doesn’t look at him when Flint approaches or when he sits on the floor behind him. There’s some movement from Flint, and something large and metal makes a sound as its set on the floor.

Silver doesn’t want to look at him, speak to him, or even be near him. But Silver’s body wants all those things. He’s so confused. He wants Flint to slide under the covers and hold him. But if he ever tries to, Silver will hit him. God or not.

There’s more sounds of metal being moved around. Then the smell of food hits the air. Silver sits up quickly. Flint’s laying out plates and plates of food that he had just uncovered from a tray.

There is a large variety of food. Several types of cold meats and cheeses cover one of the large plates. Two loaves of bread are still steaming with small bowls of butter and honey beside them. There are also several types of fruits. All of it looks and smells amazing.

Silver wants to start grabbing food and shove it in his mouth but hesitates to do so. 

Flint has his intense gaze trained on him. “We need to talk when you’re done eating.”


	6. As It Should Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver is falling apart inside. He’ll never see Max or Idelle. Won’t wake up with the sun shining onto the wooden floor in his room. No more bright flowers or soft breezes. No more laughter.
> 
> Just cold stone, silence, and dark skies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear that I have not forgotten this fic. I worked a summer camp where I was going to bed at one or two in the morning and waking up before seven. Then I moved three hours away to a bigger city in my state.
> 
> Anyway, my tumblr is clever-guurl in case anyone wants to talk to me!

That short sentence was enough for dread to twist Silver’s stomach and make it hard for him to swallow. What could Flint want to talk about?

Perhaps the conditions of Silver’s confinement. What he was expected to do and how to act. All the limitations that are to be put on what’s left of his freedom.

As Silver’s mind runs away with him, there comes a knock on the door.

“Enter,” Flint barks out in a tone the opposite of the soft one he used with Silver.

The door slowly opens. The first thing that Silver sees is a tray covered in several cups and bottles. The second thing he sees is what is carrying the tray.

It’s entirely black and vaguely human shaped. Wisps of black smoke shift and flow around it. There’s also a feeling of dread that follows it.

It slowly moves forward to place the tray it carries to sit it by the one Flint brought. As soon as the tray is on the floor, the creature completely loses its human resemblance. It drops to the floor like a snake made of shadows.

Without thinking, Silver moves away from it and towards Flint. Silver’s not taking his eyes off the creature. Not even when his hand lands on Flint’s leg.

“That will be all,” Flint tells it. His tone isn’t as harsh as earlier but still not as soft as it was with Silver.

The thing slithers out of the room, and the door closes behind it.

When Silver is certain that the creature is not going to come back through the door again, he looks at Flint. Flint’s gaze is fixed on where Silver’s hand is still on his leg. Silver can’t determine the emotion that is playing across his face.

Silver slowly lifts his hand and scoots back to where he was. He feels as though he’s in a cage with a wild animal and quick movements will cause it to attack.

After a few seconds of staring at where Silver’s hand was, Flint snaps out of his trace. “You should eat,” he says. His voice is gruff with the emotion the Silver can’t identify.

Silver doesn’t need to be told twice. He grabs one of the loaves of bread and breaks off a piece. He has to contain a moan as it hits his tongue. The next piece he dips in honey. This time he can’t stop the noise.

Flint’s entire body tenses beside him. It startles Silver and he quickly swallows the bite that was in his mouth. Unfortunately, he hadn’t chewed it enough. It get stuck in his throat, and he starts coughing.

Silver tries to hold the cough in, but it’s getting worse. He drops the bread. One of his hands he puts on his chest. He uses the other to cover his mouth. He can’t think past the pain in his throat. The coughing isn’t helping anything. 

Suddenly, there’s a cup in front of him. He grabs it and drinks without a second thought. It’s cold water that feels amazing in his throat. Silver drains the cup within a few seconds. 

As he tries to recover his breath, he becomes aware of Flint’s hand between his shoulder blades. Flint isn’t radiating the cool, healing thing, but the touch is still comforting. After Silver’s breathing is back to normal, the hand slips away. And he misses it. Why does he miss it?

He peeks out the corner of his eye.

Flint is sitting with his legs bent out in front of him with his arms resting on his knees. He’s staring into the fire. He looks sad. Why would he be sad?

Silver continues to eat. The choking did nothing to curb his hunger.

The fruit isn’t as good as what’s at the brothel, but it’s hard to beat Max when it comes to things that grow on trees. She is the goddess of harvest after all.

The tray that’s covered in cups and bottles has several types of wines on it. There’s also water and amazing-smelling teas.

Silver quickly gets caught up in the moment. Sweet, juicy fruit that explodes on his tongue. Warm tea that feels amazing in his sore throat. Wrapped in blankets by a huge fire.

Flint is the only thing out of place. He’s still staring at the fire and playing with his fingers. It’s not like he doesn’t belong. It’s more like he has a part to play that he’s not playing. At least, that’s how Silver feels about him in this moment. 

“What do we need to talk about?” Silver asks when he finishes eating. The tension knots his stomach, making him regret eating so much.

Flint finally looks at him. His face is closed off, and his eyes are dead.

‘That’s not good,’ Silver thinks.

“You bound yourself to this place, to me, when you bled here. The Underworld is alive in a way that you cannot comprehend. It accepted your blood as a payment for your stay here and tied you to it.”

Silver can’t think. He’s struggling to breathe. He unknowingly bound himself to the Underworld. He starts thinking of everything that lead to this moment. Every thought. Every action. Then anger washs over him.

“You did this!” he yells at Flint as he jumps to his feet. “You knew I’d try to run away! You made the rocks sharp and kept my shoes from me! You knew I’d cut myself and that the blood would bind me!”

Flint calmly stares at the fire.

Silver is falling apart inside. He’ll never see Max or Idelle. Won’t wake up with the sun shining onto the wooden floor in his room. No more bright flowers or soft breezes. No more laughter.

Just cold stone, silence, and dark skies.

“I said that you were bound here. Not that you were trapped,” Flint growls from the floor. He looks angry. His nose is scrunched up, and his breathing is heavy. His hands are clenched into fists.

“What?” Silver asks in a broken voice.

Flint’s shoulders slump like his anger has left him. His face looks sad. “You can come and go as you please. Billy will allow you to pass in and out. Since you are bound, you will feel a pull. After so long of being away, you will have to return.”

“What if I don’t want to return?” Silver asks in a whisper.

“You will get violently sick and die if you ignore the pull.”

“How often do I have to come back? For how long?” Hope is blooming in Silver’s chest without his permission.

Flint sighs. “I don’t know. The more blood you lose, the sooner you must return and the longer you must stay.”

A lump builds in Silver’s throat again. “I lost a lot of blood on the rocks.”

“Not as much as you think,” Flint whispers.

“When can I leave?”

Flint tenses again. “Billy is escorting Max here as we speak. You can leave with her immediately.”

Silver smiles. He gets to go home. He’s not completely trapped. He starts fidgeting, anxious to leave. He rushes to the door, so he can wait for Max by the main door.

“There’s a condition,” Flint snaps when Silver’s hand is on the door knob. The harsh tone instantly roots him. “You will no longer be working. As a prostitute or anything else.”

Silver is still facing the door, but somehow knows that Flint stands and walks closer.

His voice is right behind him when he speaks again. “If anyone touches you, I will rend their soul from their body and throw it into the Torture Fields.” His tone is low and lethal. “And you will be chained at my feet in the throne room.”

Silver swallows around the lump in his throat and nods. He slowly turns the knob, opens the door, and starts walking down the hallway.

Flint stays standing in the doorway.

 

Max is waiting by the door. Billy refuses to let her go into the house to search for Silver. It’s cold and dark here. 

She feels like it’s her fault that Silver was dragged here. She should have protected him. When she found out that Flint had him, she started killing every plant. She knew that if she destroyed enough, Silver would be given back to her.

Max is fighting the urge to start pacing when she feels Silver’s presence suddenly. It feels as though he’s a few floors above her. Flint must have been masking his presence.

After a few minutes that feel like an eternity, Silver appears. He looks pale and tired.

When his eyes land on Max, he runs to her. Even though he’s taller than her, he tucks his head under her chin. His face is buried in her neck.

Billy slips out of the room to give them some privacy.

Max has one hand in Silver’s hair and the other rubbing his back. She whispering nonsense to soothe him. She opens her eyes, trying to blink away tears.

Flint is standing in the archway. His face is hard and blank. An air of command is etched into every line of his body.

Despite her anger towards him, Max softens. She can feel all the cracks and tears that Flint is trying to conceal. No other mortal or god could feel them but her. It’s her lesser-known power, to know the very spirit of others.

She knows that Flint is all alone. People think that this is his home. It’s not. It’s a prison. Max sees that now, and it makes her heart hurt for him.

She sighs as Silver tries to pull her closer. This is either going to be good for everyone or kill them all. Even the gods. 

 

As soon as Silver and Max get back to the brothel, they both go to her bedroom and lay down. Idelle quietly slips in a few minutes later. 

The entire brothel is quiet. No one is working, playing games, or drinking. Silver imagines that the nymphs are all elsewhere telling the story of how some human whore they know was taken by the god of the Underworld. 

When Silver finally falls asleep that night, he’s curled around Max. His face is resting on her stomach. One of her hands is caressing his cheek as she hums. Behind him, Idelle has her head on Max’s shoulder and hand running through Silver’s hair. He’s warm and surrounded by people he loves and loves him.

‘This is how it should be,’ he thinks to himself.


	7. Some Adjustments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s lying on his back and trying to breathe. It feels as though someone has stacked large weights on his chest. Sweat is covering his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised this long ago, but life got in the way as it tends to do. With my college classes now starting, I don't know when I'll be able to post. Rest assured though that I am not abandoning this fic.

Silver had been back at the brothel for two days now, and all the nymphs are still skirting around him. They’re afraid of him now. They think that he now has powers and gifts like gods. Max isn’t so sure that he doesn’t. She would never tell that to him though. If he does, he will have to discover it.

Max is sitting at her desk and going over her finances when a cold breeze sweeps through the room. She instantly knows what it means.

“Hello, Flint,” she says in her accented English. “What can I do for you?”

The god in question materializes from the floor. At first his form is nothing but a large shadow. A few seconds later though, the shadow evaporates like smoke to reveal Flint. Max gestures to the chair in front of her desk, an invitation for him to sit. He does so quietly. Everything about him is so quiet. 

“I would like your assistance with something,” he says.

Max scoffs and sets down her quill. ‘This is going to be interesting,’ she thinks to herself.

 

Silver is at the beach when Max comes looking for him. His feet are buried in the sand, and sun is shining on his back. In his hand is a small, dark flower with petals thinner than paper in several rows around its center. The same flower that appeared in his room before Flint kidnapped him.

Max walks up to him. She purposefully makes noise as she approaches to keep from startling him. “Mon cher, you have been out here too long. You’re burning,” she says in a low voice. 

“Stop it,” he replies harshly. He hasn’t taken his eyes off the ocean. “You’re talking to me like I’m some hurt animal or a child that doesn’t understand what’s going on. I talked to Flint. I know what’s happening.”

Max sighs. “I don’t think you do.”

“I know he was here. This flower always appears when he’s been around.” He held the flower to her, still looking at the water.

She takes it from him. It’s a beautiful flower. Purple and delicate. Most of the petals are bruised and tore from Silver’s rough treatment. “He came to talk to me. He probably left the flower so you would not think that he was sneaking around trying to spy on you.”

Silver tensed, “What did you talk about?” he asks stiffly.

“You and the brothel.”

“The brothel?” disbelief coloring his voice.

“It hasn’t been doing well since the meeting with him, Teach, and Vane and you getting kidnapped. Flint made restitutions. Most people forget that he’s also the god of wealth.”

“Well good for him,” Silver mumbles. Now that there is no flower in his hands, he leaves them to rest on his knees. It reminds him of how Flint played with his fingers when they sat by each other in front of the fire. Silver’s not sure what emotion is attached to the memory. He should be mad, but he’s not. He’s just numb.

 

Silver has been back at the brothel for about half a year now. Things has returned to normal for everyone else. All the nymphs are happy and laughing again. Idelle and Featherstone seem to be together now. Max, Anne, and Jack’s relationship is doing great. No more of Flint’s flowers are appearing in his room. 

Since Silver is no longer a prostitute, he has a lot of free time and feels out of place at the brothel. He wonders a lot and helps with repairs here and there. He thought about returning to Flint’s house inland a few times but always changed his mind. 

He can feel it. The pull to leave and go to the underworld. He feels it no matter what he does or where he goes. With every beat of his heart, the feeling gets stronger. If he’s being honest with himself, it started a month ago.

It started as a light pressure on his chest. It’s worsened to the point that breathing is starting to become difficult. After a week it spread to his stomach and head. At first, they were tingles like Silver was a little drunk and nervous. Now, he can barely eat, and his head pounds. His bones and joints ache like he’s some old man. The air is always too hot and thick around him.

Silver has decided to stay in bed today. That’s what he’s telling himself. In reality, he’s so sick he can’t even sit up without passing out. He’s lying on his back and trying to breathe. It feels as though someone has stacked large weights on his chest. Sweat is covering his body.

There’s a knock on the door. He registers it, but that it all he can do. The knock is repeated. Silver’s breath becomes shallower like another weight was added. His vision is starting to blur and darken.

Light pours into the room as the door opens. Then there’s a gasp.

“Silver!” yells Idelle as she runs to him. “What’s wrong?!” She’s shaking him now.

Silver can’t speak or focus on the face. He’s just trying to breath.

Idelle let’s go of him and runs out of the room. “Max! MAX!”

He passes out after that.

 

Silver blinks awake. He feels better than he has in months. 

The room he wakes up in is familiar and different at the same time. It’s not any place in the brothel or Nassau for that matter. It takes him a little bit to realize that he’s in the Underworld. Things are different from the last time he was here. It appears to be the same room he woke up in the previous two times but with some adjustments.

There are now windows in the room. They’re large and letting in a lot of sunlight, which is also something new. The bed is covered in warm, plush fabrics. It’s not on a platform anymore either. The stone floor is covered in various rugs.

Silver sits up and stretches. He didn’t realize how sick he was until he was perfectly fine. Now, he feels amazing and like properly exploring. He gets out of his warm bed and looks out one of the windows.

Beautiful sunlight is illuminating everything. There is lush, green grass covering the ground. ‘Perfect for laying on,’ Silver thinks to himself. There are also trees and shrubs. The back patio has been restored and decorated like it’s ready to host a party. 

Beyond that is a very large garden maze shaped like a square. A large four-tier fountain sits in the middle of it. If you make it through the other end of it, there is a large pond. The water is light blue and would be inviting if Silver wasn’t cold right now.

As Silver stands at his window observing, he sees a girl run out of the maze. She’s running towards the house. She looks over her shoulder as she continues. Silver turns his attention back to the maze to see what she’s looking at.

He startles when Billy bursts out of it. He’s in his full hell hound glory. It doesn’t take him more than a few seconds to overtake the girl.

She lets out a high pitched scream that spurns Silver into action. He runs out the room and flies down the stairs. He doesn’t know how he’s going to stop Billy, but he has to do something.


	8. Long, Black Coat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The man’s smile broadens, and he stretches his body a little. “Muldoon,” comes his short reply.
> 
> Silver can feel the blood drain from his face. Only he would snap at the god of death. His charming smile creeps across his face like it’s the only way that he can defend himself. “Of course you are,” he says gesturing to the man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have homework I need to do, so, naturally, inspirations strikes. I had to get this out of my system. Now, back to business homework!

Silver runs down the stairs and out the front door. If he knew where a backdoor was, he would have used it. He wasn’t thinking about what would happen when he say Billy, he was just trying to get to the backyard. He rounded the house in record speed. What he saw when he got to the patio stopped him in his tracks.

The girl was laughing and playing with Billy. He was circling her like he was going to attack. Every once and a while he would feign in like he was going to bite her but always nipped the air to the side of her. She would laugh and swipe her hand at his heads. It was so bizarre to see suck a large and terrifying creature playing with a teenager.

Silver just stood by the house, gasping for breath and observing the strange scene. He was expecting blood and screaming, not jumping and running.

There was a laugh from the patio. Silver quickly turns towards it expecting Flint. It’s not. It’s a small, bald, tattooed man lying on a lounge and looking right at him.

“Did you get scared when you saw people having fun?” taunts the man.

Silver gets offended. He came to the defense of a helpless girl who he thought was getting murdered by a hell hound. Come to think of it, his own actions perplex him. He’s more of a save-yourself kind of guy. “Who are you?” Silver demands in a cutting tone.

The man’s smile broadens, and he stretches his body a little. “Muldoon,” comes his short reply.

Silver can feel the blood drain from his face. Only he would snap at the god of death. ‘Fuck,’ is the only word that comes to his mind. His charming smile creeps across his face like it’s the only way that he can defend himself. “Of course you are,” he says gesturing to the man.

Muldoon just laughs again. “Don’t worry. I have a good sense of humor.” Silver relaxes. “And Flint said that no one is allowed to harm you.” He tenses again.

Silver just now realized that the noises from Billy and the girl have stopped. He turns to them to see that they’re both staring at him. Actually, the girl is staring at him. Billy is looking at her. Silver’s not good at reading emotions on dogs’ faces, but Billy looks like he’s in love. 

A natural smile covers his face. “Hi.”

She smiles back and gives a sort of curtsey that he finds very weird. “Hello. I’m Abigail. Abigail Ashe.”

He has no idea who she is, but since she’s in the Underworld, she has to be important. “John Silver,” he replies with a small bow that makes her giggle.

“I’m not a goddess or anything. You don’t have to bow for me.”

That perplexes his so much. Why would she curtsey for him, but him not bow for her? What would another human be doing here? Does Flint hoard them? Keep them like treasures stolen from the earth?

Then he feels it. Flint’s presence creeping up his spine and over his skin. Abigail has lost her smile and is staring behind Silver. Billy stiffens like he’s been called to attention. Muldoon sits up with his feet to one side of the lounge. Silver turns around.

Flint, in all black clothes with a long black coat, is just standing by the backdoor with his hands clasped behind his back. He’s not even looking at Silver. He’s looking at Billy and Abigail. “It’s time for Ms. Ashe to return home.” It’s hard to tell his emotion from the tone. It was said like a fact.

Silver turns back to look at the people that were addressed by the statement. Abigail does her curtsey again, and Billy changes into the shape of a man. A very tall, tan man, but a man nonetheless. Silver wasn’t aware that Billy had that particular power.

Billy and Abigail solemnly walk to the house. Muldoon stands and follows them. “I’ll check on Randall,” he says as he passes Flint. Even the god of death is afraid of him. Now that everyone else is inside, Silver also wants to be there. 

Flint’s gaze is heavy as it traces down his body. “You’re an idiot.”

Silver’s mouth falls open. Of all the things he expected Flint to say to him, that statement didn’t even come close. “Excuse me?” he asks incredulously.

Flint is still completely calm with his hands behind his back. He holds himself the way that well-trained soldiers do. “I said that you are an idiot. I told you that ignoring the pull could kill you. You should have returned weeks ago. No, you had to be stubborn and refuse to come back. When Max brought you to the gates, you were seconds away from death. The Fates were getting your string ready to cut! What the fuck did you think that you were doing?!”

Throughout the entire speech, Flint’s voice slowly rose to a yell. Every octave it rose caused Silver’s anger to swell and grow. It was rushing through him and left him without reason.

“I was thinking that I didn’t want to come back to a dark, cold, stone palace of a rude god that likes to kidnap innocent people! I didn’t want to leave my happy and bright home that’s filled with laughter to come back to a place meant for dead people! That is what I was thinking if you must know.”

Flint didn’t even react to the speech. He just stood there looking angry. Then he scoffs and a wicked smile covers his face. “You are a human that lives in a brothel that is frequented by violent gods and nymphs. How much longer did you really expect to live? You were destined to the Underworld. I just brought you to a nicer part than the torture fields that you were bound for.”

Silver feels like he’s been punched in the chest. “I wouldn’t have gone to the torture fields,” he mumbles.

Flint scoff. “You lied, stole, and cheated. You crossed Vane and have no respect for Teach. Max couldn’t have protected you. Vane blames you for Eleanor killing eight of his men. Everyone knows that you were with her a lot the days before his men died and left not long after. Vane loves her, so he likes to think that you were whispering things into her ear. You are known for having a silver tongue.” Then he chuckles at his own joke.

It feels as though someone ripped the ground out from under Silver. He’s trying to think of something to say, to deny what Flint said. Silver had no part in that, but Vane cares enough for Eleanor, Anne, and Jack that he would never truly blame or punish them. It seems like he was the scapegoat.

Flint sighs and looks at him as though he’s dealing with a small, dumb child. “There is nowhere else in the worlds that is better for you. Your time at Max’s had come to an end. It’s easy to integrate yourself into life here. Don’t be so upset.” With that Flint turns away and goes back into the house. 

Silver just stands there trying to process everything that was just said. He quickly comes to the conclusion that Flint is a lying, kidnapping ass.

 

He also came to the conclusion that Randall is a horrible cook, and that is the reason why people mostly eat fresh fruits here. Randall is always peeling potatoes that seem to never get cooked. There’s also cat hair everywhere. Everywhere.

The creature was awkwardly named Wigglebutt. Wigglebutt! It was pure evil. Always lurking and attacking Silver’s feet and shedding on the bed and clothes. 

That’s another thing. Every piece of fabric in this house was black, dark grey, or dark green. At Max’s, all of Silver’s shirts are white. Though he does have a light pink one that Idelle gave him. The point is that the cat is evil, and it apparently kills people’s clothes for fun.

It’s been about a week. A week of nothing to do and no one to talk to. Silver hasn’t seen Billy since he took Abigail home. He passed Muldoon in a hallway once. He said he was too busy to chat. Apparently, a small civil war was happening in some other country. There were deaths he had to collect. Randall just sneered at him and whispered insults under his breath. The cat attacked him.

Silver caught glimpses of Flint a few times. They would make awkward eye contact, then Flint would walk away. He always wore that long coat no matter the temperature. Most of the time he looked like he was about to murder someone. Not the best time for Silver to ask if he could go home yet.

As much as he missed the brothel and everyone, leaving didn’t feel right. He felt as though he had to stay awhile longer. It was a strange feeling that caused him to be restless. He’s walked around the mansion so much he knows where everything is located. 

He found Flint’s room but didn’t go in. He would have loved the chance to snoop, but the door was locked. That’s how he knew who it belonged to. It’s the only locked door in the entire place.

The throne room was huge. A single, ornate chair sat on a large pedestal. The room was also piled to the ceiling with mounds of gold and jewels. One handful would set Silver up for life. 

Even though the treasure was beautiful to look at, it made him sick to his stomach. Also, it didn’t escape his notice that at the foot of the throne were metal rings that would be perfect for chaining someone down. That combined with the tainted wealth ensured that he would not enter the room willingly again. 

He found a library full of thick books covered in dust. Since they were all in another language or about philosophy, Silver decided that they were not worth his time.

He spent a lot of time outside, especially in the maze. Whenever he wanted to swim in the pond, he had to go through it and always got lost for a few hours. At first it was maddening, but then he realized that there was nothing else for him to do so there was no point in rushing. 

He tried to walk around it one, but it just kept going. When he had turned around to go back to the house, he discovered that he was actually in the maze. That was when he realized that the maze now completed the task that the rocks used to. No one gets too far away from the mansion without Flint’s permission. 

Silver soon found that it circles the entire mansion. He would start at the front or sides of the house, walking as straight as possible. The maze always appeared after approximately thirty minutes. Placing the fountain and pond in it created the illusion that it ended.

Silver was still a prisoner. Flint said that he could come and go as he pleased, but he found no way out. He knew that Flint was waiting for him to ask. To approach him and admit that he needed something from the god. Well, Silver was not about to play his game. He would wait for Billy or Muldoon to return and ask them.


	9. Rain Clouds in the Underworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in his room, Silver goes to stand in front of the window. The maze stretches endlessly in front of him. ‘Maybe if I fuck Flint, he’ll tell me how to leave.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a really long time. I'm trying to write when I can. On a good note, my college classes end in about five weeks, then I'll so much FREE TIME!!

Today it was cloudy. The first time since Silver’s been in the Underworld. He hoped that it would rain. He wanted the cold, dark rain that seemed to go with the atmosphere of this place. He loved the sun, but it felt like that was something that belonged to Nassau. It did not belong here with the souls of the dead.

As he was thinking this, rain started to patter against his window. Silver let out a sigh he didn’t know he was holding. The dark clouds and the chill weren’t harsh or oppressive. During his first visit, the clouds felt like they were trapping him, pushing down on his body. Now, they felt like a blanket. The sound of the rain was calming. 

He sighed again, walking away from the window. He knew exactly what this moment called for, tea and a hot bath. Silver could call on the nymphs that lived here to get him tea, but they still made him uneasy. Without slipping on shoes or buttoning his shirt all the way up, he left his room to go to the kitchen.

Silver wasn’t worried about meeting anyone else in the hallways. He had come to find out that Muldoon did not live here. He lived on the outer ring of the Underworld, close to the Fates. Abigail was human, at one point. She was now a soul that lived in Elysium. When she was alive, she did everything she could to help those around her. She chose not to be reborn. She met Billy shortly before she was given the choice and didn’t want to lose him. That was how Silver learned that reborn souls forget everything about their past lives.

He saw Billy occasionally, but he always looked sad. Silver supposed that he wanted to spend more time with Abigail. The problem was that Billy had work to do here, and souls can’t leave their final place for long periods of time. He was getting along better with Randall. Though if they were together more than five minutes in a room, he would start mumbling insults then would graduate to screaming. Not screaming words or anything. Just screaming.

He only caught glimpses of Flint. Always across the room, and always for very short periods of time. Flint’s gaze would bore into Silver before he stomped off. Silver wanted to grab him and demand to know what he was supposed to do here and how to leave. He never got the chance though.

Silver had gotten a large mug of steaming tea and was headed upstairs when Flint’s presence creeped over him. It was just like the clouds, oppressive at first but comforting now. He tried to tell himself it was comforting because he knew where Flint was. It was a lie, but he kept trying to convince himself that it was true.

A few seconds later, he strolls into view, long coat billowing behind him. He keeps walking down the hallway towards Silver. He knows that Flint isn’t going to speak to him, but for a second he imagines what it would be like to be the destination of the powerful god. What it would be like if Flint was looking for him.

As Flint gets closer, Silver can see the way that his eyes keep flicking to the side to look at his exposed chest. He can’t help the smile that tilts his mouth. Without thinking, always without thinking he says, “Good morning, Captain,” as the god gets right beside him.

Flint pauses a step behind him, still facing the other way. “What did you call me?”

Silver plays along and doesn’t turn to speak to him, smile growing large. “You remind me of a captain I once knew. When he walked, it looked like he had a very important job to do.” His smile broadens. “Even when he was on his way to fuck a goat.” He wishes he could see Flint’s face.

Suddenly there was breath on the back of his neck. “And what is it that you think that I do that you deem as unimportant as fucking a goat?” Flint’s voice comes from right beside his ear. It was low, and his tone calm.

Silver has to fight the urge to shiver. Instead of answering Flint’s question, he says, “I was about to go take a hot bath. You should join me.”

“And why would I do that?” comes the question against his neck. He can almost feel Flint’s mouth on his skin.

Silver tilts his head to the side, exposing more neck for him. “Because I’m the only person that’s touched my dick for months and you took me for a reason. Since you never talk to me but insisted I have sex with no one else, I’m guessing that this is what you really want.”

Now, Flint’s nose is trailing up and down his neck. He felt like his chest was too big and too small at the same time. His breathing was getting shallow, and he just fucking wanted Flint to grab him. John felt the scrape of teeth against his ear. There was no way he could stop the shiver that went through his body even if he wanted to. But he didn’t. He wants the god to know the effect he’s having on him.

Flint’s hands slowly slides to his hips. Barely touching, no pressure behind it. Nothing more than a tease. One hand moves to rest on Silver’s stomach causing his breathing to become harsher. Flint’s hand is right above his pants now. He is casually rubbing his fingers against the hair that dusts his lower stomach.

“I have some things to take care of,” Flint whispers against Silver’s neck. His tone is deeper and rough. “Why don’t you drink your tea while you wait for me?” It felt more like a raspy order than a mere suggestion.

Silver took it as a challenge. “What makes you think that I’ll wait for you?” He delivered the taunt in a tone a lot more stable than he felt.

Flint nips his jaw playfully. Then he slid his hand down to grasp Silver’s cock through his pants. Silver pushes his hips forward and moans. “Because you need this.” It was said in a sharp tone that caused a chill to wash over Silver. Flint quickly pulls away and continues on his original path.

All Silver can do is stand there. He can’t even think enough to close his mouth. It takes a few minutes for him to shake himself then go to his room.

From the moment that Silver saw Flint, he found the god attractive. For the few minutes that he thought Flint brought his here for sex, he was excited. Thinking of the time by the fire and the glimpses he catches of Flint always make his heart beat faster. But now, faced with waiting for him, Silver’s not sure he wants to.

Doubt claws at him. On one hand, it feels like he’s giving Flint more power over him. On the other hand, Silver is the one that approached him, and the thought of Flint taking control made heat flood through him.

‘It’s just sex,’ Silver thinks to himself. ‘It’s been months, and this will be good for me.’

Back in his room, Silver goes to stand in front of the window. The maze stretches endlessly in front of him. ‘Maybe if I fuck Flint, he’ll tell me how to leave.’

‘Or he’ll keep you here longer,’ came the whispering voice of doubt.

Then a different voice, one Silver didn’t recognize, made itself known. ‘Would that be so bad?’

Having the thought shocked him. He would miss Max, Idelle, and all the other girls. The brothel may be run down, but he loves the building itself. The smell and sound of the ocean. The warm breeze and sunlight. ‘That’s my home. This is ….well this is something different.’

Pushing all his thoughts aside, Silver starts drinking his tea, still warm due to some enchantment. It doesn’t take him long to finish it. Afterwards, he goes into the adjacent room, strips his clothes, and slides into the tub. The water is hot enough to make him sweat, but it feels too good for him to consider making it cooler. He focused on how good it felt, letting go of his uneasiness. He also thought about Flint.

Silver thought about the scrape of the beard against his neck. He thought about having Flint’s arms around him. What it would be like to sink his teeth into those muscles to stifle his own moans. He’s hard and aching but refuses to touch himself. His hands are gripping the side of the tub. His hips shift up causing the water to stir.

Then he feel Flint’s presence. His need doesn’t go away, but it still calms him. Silver tilts his head back and takes some calming breathes. Soft footsteps sound right outside the bathroom door. It doesn’t startle him. He knows that it’s Flint. The sound of clothes hitting the floor makes him smile.


End file.
